This blog post reports on the events of the #BlackLivesMatter demonstration in Rotterdam in light of global protests surrounding the police killing of George Floyd. It also discusses the tension between the protests and the ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis. Finally, it offers some critical reflection on the need to confront the challenges of police violence and systemic racism in the Netherlands and in our own city.

“Keeping it real” is considered to be one of rap’s mantras and reflects the musical genre’s longstanding and complex relation with authenticity. The authenticity of rap artists – or “realness”, to put it into rap and street vernacular – tends to hinge on whether rappers (still) have a connection to the streets. In this blog post, Robby Roks reflects on the recent controversy surrounding Brooklyn rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine to explore the performativity of street credibility, and the intertwinement of rap music, the streets, gangs, violence, and law enforcement agencies.